Are these defence spray thingys legal to carry around with you in the UK?




Judging by eBay, it says they are.

Is there anything you could be arrested for or any offence committed in carrying this or using it in a self defence way?

If used for defence and not offence then i see no reason as it is only a dye ive seen legal sprays that spray on attackers face and it expands and covers then in a green dye shaving foam type substance

Well under the Firearms act it is not illegal and is not automatically an offensive weapon to carry. You could find yourself falling under offences such as criminal damage (to clothing) if you're not careful or it cannot be proved it was used in self-defence.

I think there is a VERY fine line to tread carrying and using these items.

If I found this on someone, they'd be coming in. How do we know what is in it. It would be quite easy to put your own writing on it saying it wasn't harmful etc...
I'd still class it as an offensive weapon, as it is made for causing injury. I'm sure I would be in pain if it was sprayed into my eyes!!

Jon,

TOTALLY agree, me too

It's not made for causing injury!!!!

It's made to prevent injury being caused to an innocent person who is being attacked!!!

How can you arrest somebody for defending themselves or being prepared to defend themselves???????????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And NO there is no pain when sprayed into eyes unlike CS or Pepper!!! It contains no harmful substances it purely disorientates the attacker and stains the skin for a few days to help with identification!

You asked for opinions and that is what people gave you.
I would bring you in on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon.

It's a very fine line and I'd be very cautious ... it could swing either way you could well end up in a cell whilst the contents are -*test*-('")ed.

Look at it this way Yuego , if you carried on your person a normal can of hairspray this is obviously not illegal however if you then take that can and spray it in someones face ( or even threaten to ) it then becomes an offensive weapon.

With a lot of everyday items the law relates to the intent of the object , so if it is carried with the intention of being used as a weapon ( even if only planned for self defence ) then it becomes illegal.

The reasoning behind this is because if a real villain is stopped in possesion of a potential weapon the first thing they will say is that it is for the purpose of self defence and the police would be powerless to stop this ... I'm sure you would agree that this is not what law abiding citizens want.

So your spray (which unlike the can of hairspray has only one purpose ) would fall into the catagory that technically the product itself is not illegal but the reason for carrying it could and probably would be viewed as being illegal hence other officers replies that they would arrest for possesion of an offensive weapon

Sorry for the long winded reply but i hope it helps

I can see both sides here but I'd sure feel safer having one on me.

It goes back to the age old story of the guy walking down the street with a screwdriver in his back pocket, is her a house breaker? Or is he just after finishing work as an electrician or whatever??

Whatever...........oh sorry I thought you were asking us to pick one

Yeah do you remember that age old story ...what a corker that was